Hitherto, proposals have been made for a device reminiscent of a conventional tobacco-containing cigarette, for inhaling nicotine-containing products. For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,884 discloses an inhaler having a generally cylindrical body that receives a canister of pressurised fluid that contains nicotine, which is dispensed for inhalation when a user draws on the device in a manner similar to drawing smoke from a conventional cigarette. U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,929 discloses a generally cylindrical body containing a supply of nicotine and pressurised gas which is mixed in a valve to create an aerosol directed to a mouthpiece for a user. The body of the device includes a baffle arrangement to block the passage of relatively large droplets created in the aerosol and allow only smaller size droplets to pass to the mouthpiece for inhalation. However, a problem with this device is that the larger droplets may undesirably drain from the device in a liquid stream.
Also, the mere use of a nicotine aerosol may not find acceptance by smokers as a substitute for conventional cigarettes that provide tobacco smoke for inhalation, due to the lack of smoke flavour in the nicotine aerosol.